When it comes to taking good care of your heart, there is a lot of information is available on the Internet, some accurate and helpful, a lot of false and misleading information and dangerous.

The issue with Internet searches is that there’s no way for people to tell the difference between correct and and false information, and that is dangerous.

“I have known of people who were having symptoms, believed these myths and ended up having a massive heart attack and dying,” said Dr. Crandall, Chief of the cardiac transplant program at the Palm Beach Cardiovascular Clinic in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. “When we have talked to their families afterwards, they say, ‘Well, he or she decided to try this at home because they read it on the Internet.’ ”

Below are 7 common heart myths, as follows:

One example of a heart myth is known as “Cough CPR,” falsely attributed to various organizations, including Health Cares, Rochester General Hospital, and Mended Hearts.

The idea is that a person who fears he or she is having a heart attack should cough “repeatedly and vigorously” to correct an abnormal heart rhythm and survive, but the notion is a dangerous falsehood.

“The only thing a person a person should do in such a situation is call 911 immediately,” says Dr. Crandall. “After that, chew 2 full-strength aspirins while waiting for the ambulance to arrive. But don’t attempt to drive yourself to the hospital or ask someone to do it because if you need emergency procedures, they can be started in the ambulance while you are on your way.

Cayenne Pepper can stop a heart attack.

There is a myth that taking Cayenne Pepper dissolved in water or as capsules will stop a heart attack. While Cayenne Pepper can widen blood vessels and speed metabolism, it should not be used in this way.

Calling 911 is the best thing to do in a cardiac emergency.

Heart disease is a man’s problem.

This long-held falsehood still comes up and is a reason why surveys continue to show that women underestimate their risk of heart disease. Heart attack is the #1 killer of men and women.

Chest pain signals a heart attack.

Sudden chest pain is considered the hallmark of a heart attack, along with shortness of breath and radiating pain in the neck, back, jaw and arms. But this is not always true, particularly for women. In fact, some women may experience chest pain but they are more typically likely to experience shortness of breath and weakness, extreme fatigue, a profuse cold sweat, and dizziness when having a heart attack.

It is normal to have high blood pressure when you’re older.

It is true that many people see their blood pressure increase with age, this is not a normal symptom of aging and is usually caused by putting on extra weight. By keeping lean, you can avoid this seemingly invariable rise in such heart disease risks as blood pressure, and cholesterol too.

If you take your blood pressure medication you will never have a stroke.

Controlling blood pressure reduces the risk, but it’s no guarantee you will not suffer a stroke. If you experience stroke symptoms like face drooping, arm weakness, or difficulty speaking, call 911 immediately.

This is also true if the symptoms disappear, it could mean a stroke is on the way.

You cannot do anything if heart disease runs in your family.

Coronary heart disease has a genetic factor, but is not always hereditary. So if you know there is a tendency for heart disease in your family, what this means is that it is even more important to take good care, and to live a heart-healthy lifestyle, because this may help you to avoid such a fate. In this case, heredity is not always destiny.

Eat Real Food

Real Food is food in its most natural state; it is unprocessed or with very little processing. Real food does not need a label or fancy packaging. A lemon is a lemon. An onion is an onion.

Real Food is a whole food that is life sustaining.

Whole Foods are: “Foods that have been minimally refined or processed, and are eaten in their natural state. In general nothing is removed from, or added to, the foodstuffs in preparation. Wholegrain cereal products are made by milling the complete grain.” Definition is from:www.encyclopedia.com

Paul Ebeling

Paul A. Ebeling, polymath, excels in diverse fields of knowledge. Pattern Recognition Analyst in Equities, Commodities and Foreign Exchange and author of “The Red Roadmaster’s Technical Report” on the US Major Market Indices™, a highly regarded, weekly financial market letter, he is also a philosopher, issuing insights on a wide range of subjects to a following of over 250,000 cohorts. An international audience of opinion makers, business leaders, and global organizations recognizes Ebeling as an expert.